The South (1988)

The movie starts while Floreal, the main protagonist, was being released from the prison when the military coup ended in 1983. He is estranged to his former life because of his last few years in prison and especially discovering his wife has cheated on him soured their relation. He is not sure if he wants to go back to his old life and family. Wandering through the night his old friend “El-Negro” appears in the dark. He announces that he was assassinated during the military coup and he is a dead man now. But he has a special mission this night and he is back for this special occasion: To help Floreal catch up fast and face with his life and his time in prison. El-Negro helps him to watch through the important events happened in his absence. He confronts some people of importance to him as he wanders around through the night while his wife is waiting for him anxiously thinking he might never come back. During the long night El-Negro helps him to get past with his anger, makes him to understand the difficulties in such a controversial time and how military coup crushes people’s lives and even killing a some of them relentlessly. Finally during the dawn, El-Negro announces that he is ready to go on with his life now and he must be back. Floreal figures that he must be strong and continue his life where he left off like his coup stricken country. —Kerem ERSOY kerem@sibernet.com.trThis movie is very sad but also. It is the opposite of anything that comes out of our movie culture. Beautiful music and very moving. If you are a fan of tango music you will also enjoy the scenes of Roberto Goyeneche( “El Polaco”) haunting tango singing that are interspersed during the movie. At times this movie works almost like a tango musical. When I say musical don’t expect to see people dancing or singing gaily in the streets. Since the music is mostly tango (there also a Milonga song “El Tartamudo” The Stutterer The movie is not a linear narrative. It is very existential and atmospheric. I also recommend movies by Eliseo Subiela: ” No te mueras sin decirme donde vas.” Don’t die without telling me where you are going